Handrail for bathtubs



Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES:: ;PATE-NT OFFICE V 2,51,756 HANDRAIL FOR BATHTUBS Thomas D. Walla Winnebago, Minn. Application June 16, 1948, Serial No.`33,395

s claims. (01; 4` 185) This invention relates to new and usefulif provements in safety hand rails for bath tubs.

It is well known that many individuals have been seriously injured as a result of slipping and falling when attempting to get out of a bath tub, because of striking their heads or portions of their bodies against the bath tub, or some other fixed object, when they fall. This isreadily understood because when a bath tub is Wet and particularly when soapy, the surface thereof .provides very little grip for an individual's foot, and because of the slippery condition of the bath tub, one may run the risk of falling each time he attempts to move about in the bath tub or tries to step out of it.

Numerous` devices have heretofore been developed for use in conjunction with a bath tub whereby a person taking a bath may grasp a suitable handle or support conveniently located ad.- jacent to the bath tub to thereby assist him in getting out of the tub. To the best of my knowledge, none of these devices have proven entirely satisfactory, and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device of this type which may readily be applied to a conventional bath tub and which, when in operative position, may be Conveniently grasped by a person to assist him in rising to a standing position within the tub and whereby he is not likely to slip and fall when moving about in the tub.

A further object is to provide a safety hand rail which is so constructed that it may be positioned transversely of the tub to thereby provide a rail which may be Conveniently grasped by a bather sittin in the tub, when not in use, may be swun to an inoperative position parallel to a side wall of the tub.

A further object is to provide a hand rail for a bath tub having means for detachably securing it thereto, whereby said handrail may readily be detached from the bath tub, when not in use,

if so desired, and which, when in operative position thereon, provides a substantial support which may be conveniently grasped by a bather when he proceeds to step out of the bath tub.

Other objects of the invention reside in the simple and inexpensive Construction of the apparatus whereby it maybe manufactured 'in quantity production at low cost; in the means provided whereby the hand rail may readily be applied to conventional bath tubs now in use* without disturbing the 'mountings of such tubs; and in the means provided for looking the handle in operative position over the tub and also whereby it may readily and Conveniently be released and swung to one side of the tub when not in use.

These and other objects of the invention and the'means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings In the acccmpanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various 'objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow. e

In`the. drawings: V L v -Figure1 is af view showing in perspective, a conventional bath tub to which the invention has been applied; V 'f Figure 2 isa large :cross-sectional view' of. a bath tub, showing the safety hand rail in operative 'positionlupon a bath tub; v

Figure is an. enlarged detail sectional View showing the means for securing the swinging end of theflh'and rail in operative position;

Figure ,4 ,isa cross sectional View substantially on the line 4-4 of Figur-e 3; and i ,Figur-e 5 is adetail sectional view showing a device fo'rclosing the upper ends of the guides provided in the sideawalls of the bath tub when thehandtrail .is detached from the bath tub.

Injthe selected er'nbodiment of the invention herein disclosedthere is illustrated in Figure 1, for purposesof disclosure, a conventionalbath tub' 2, shown having one side positioned against a wall 3. and `itshead end positioned against a wall 4. p y The novel invention herein, disclosed comprises a transversely disposedhand rail, generally designafted by .the numeral 5. The handrail has a horizontalportion 6 and a vertically disposed leg 'I adapted to be received in a tubular guide 8 ?provided. in the-.back -wall 9 of the tub, as best illustratd in Figur-e 2. The leg 1 may extend to the bottom ofvthe guide 8.,

v When the safety hand rail is to be applied to a onvefntional bath tub already installed inahome, an open'inglz is cut in the upper horizontal or rollededge portion of the back Wall 9 of the bath tubofj suflicientsize to 'receive the tubular guide 8. :The lower end of the guide 8 is closed by a plug Oren'djplatel I received in the bottom end thereof and "preferabl y 'suitably Secured therein, as by welding. a A l'iolel, 3 is provided' in the plug ll adapted to receive a screw `l l which .may be screwed into the floor !5, as indicated in Figure 2, when thevguideis inserted through the opening [2,` at thej top of the bath tub with its lower ;The oye'ralltlength of the guide 8 is such that its uPperlend may project slightly above the top edgeof the .back wall 9 of the bath tub, and a suitablefnishingcap !6 is then fitted over the upper end of the guide 8 to secure it' in position within'the space IT at the back of the bath tub. The screw M may readily be Secured in the floor with along handled screw driver inserted into the I ad upper end of' the guide 8 before the leg 'I of the i u i 3 hand rail is inserted into the guide. The face plate IE may be secured to the top of the bath tub by suitable pins or screws !8, best shown in Figure 5.

A similar tubular guide Is :is provided .in the front wall 28' of the bath tub within the space 2| provided within the inner and outer wall members 22 and 23, respectively, of the tub, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. The tubular guide 19 differs slightly from rear tubular guide .8 `in that it is shown having an interior longitudinally extending groove 24 cut in the wall 'thereof which extends downwardly from the top of the ,guide to a point intermediately thereof.

A lateral groove 25 leads from the vertical groove'24 andhasrits opposite end portion 26 terminating at 'a point about ninety degrees from the vertical groove .24, as shown in Figure 4. A 'transverse :pin '21 is -secured in a relatively short leg portion *28 having a fi-ange 29 at its upper end forming a part of a coupling, generally designated by the numeral 3l. The coupling 3| serves to secure the leg portion 28 to thedependingileg portion 32 of the hand 'rail '5 at the front side of the 'bath tub.

The end 33 of the pin 21 projects 'beyond the periphery of the leg .portion '28 and is .adapted to be received in 'the vertical groove 2.4,as 'shown in Figures 3 and 4:, and also in the `transverse groove "25 by relative rotation of 'the leg portion 28 with respect to the front guide 19. Theloottom of the front ,guide 1.'9 'is shown Secured to the floor in a manner similar to the rear guide '8,.and the parts thereof are, therefore, identified by like numerals. 'The same applies to :the supporting means provided at the top of the guide la suitable finishing and closurecaps .34, each comprising a plurality of spring-actuated .prongs 35, are adapted to be detachably Secured to the finishing plates IS to close the openings therein, when 'the'hand rail is completely detached from the bath tub.

When the hand rail is in use, it is preferably positioned .as shown in full lines in Figures :1 and 2, cross-wise of .the bath tub, whereby a bather sitting in the tub may readily grasp thehorizontal handle portion .8 and pullhimself up'to a standing position, or to assist 'in .changing his ;position 'in the bath tub.

If the hand rail 'is not required, the coupling member '31 `may 'readily and conveniently ibe manipulated to uncouple the `leg: portion 28 'from the depending portion *32 of the hand rail, thereby permitting the hand rail to 'be swung into engagementwith the back wall 3, as shown in dotted lines in Fignre Lwhere it may ;be completely out of 'the way of the bather. The front leg portion 28 may then be withdrawn from 'the front ;guide I!! after which a closure cap 34 is fittedover the opening in ,the `upper end of the guides to thereby prevent water and other foreign matter from dropping into the guide.

'When the safety hand rail is inoperative position, as shown in 'Figures 1 and 2 the 'leg portion 28 at the front of the bath tub .maybe rotated to a position to cause the ,pro'jectingend portion 33 of the pin 21 ,to enter the'lateralgroove 25 in the guide i'a, whereby the leg portion 28 'is positively locked against axial or relative .up-.anddown movement within the guide I 9. It will thus be noted that the rail is amply supported at .the back and front of the tub whereby it mayrsustain considerable weight., :and all such weight will be directed to the rail .and its .supporting means .and not to the walls of the tub.

While the hand rail herein disclosed is well adapted for use as an attachment for a conventional bath tub already installed in a home,

itis to be understood that it may readily be em- 'boded in the Construction of :new tubs .in which case the tubular guides 8 and s might be embodied directly in the tub structure to thereby become integral parts thereof.

'The device may be finished in any color, but

.is preferably .chromium plated to match the fixtures of the tub, and when it is in operative position, as shown ,in Figures 1 and 2, it presents a `ments herein described may be variously changed and 'modified without departing -from the spirit of 'the -invention, and that the inventon is capable -of `uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it -will be appreci- -ated that 'the *herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention -is 'not limited 'thereto.

'I claim 'as my'irrvention':

'1. A hand rail for "bath tubs comprising a 'pair of guides 'having'means for securing them laterally along the side walls of a convent'onal bath tub, a hand rail of substantially U-shape having spaced legs received in said guides, and means, including a 'looking member connected 'to one o'f said legs and adapted interlockingly to engage the wall of `'its guide for locking the hand rail against movement in said guides.

'2, A hand 'rail for'bath tubs cQmprising-a pair of guides having means for `securing them latera'llyin spaced relation'to the side walls of a conventional 'bath tub, a hand rail of substantially U-shape having spaced legs received 'in said guides, means on one .of said'legs adapted slidably and rotatably to be received in the wall of its guide whereby the hand rail may bevertically adjusted,.and means for looking the hand rail in adjiusted position.

3. A hand 'rail for bath tubs comprising a pair of tubular guides having means for securing them th the opposed side walls of a conventional bath tub, the upper Open ends of said guides being disposed .in proximity to the upper edges of the walls of the 'bath tub, and aihandrail comprisihg an upper .transverse portion and spaced depending legs adapted to be received in said guides, one of said legs being substantially shorter than the other leg, whereby said hand rail may be raised upwardly until said shorter leg is free of itsguide so that the hand rail can be swung to an out-of-the-way position 4. A hand rail ;for bath -tubs .comprising a pair of -tubnlar guides havingmeansor securing them laterally along oppositesides of the ,opposed walls of a .conventional .bath tub, the upper ends of said guides projecting slightly above the upper l edges of the walls of the .bath tub, a hand rail comprising an upper `transverse portion and spaced depending legs adapted to be removably received in said guides, .and ,means for securing thehand raillegs in said guides.

5. A hand .rail for bath tubs comprising a pair of vertically disposed tubular guides .having means for securing them adjacent the side walls ofa conventional bath .tuband in spaced relation thereto, a hand rail having .an upper horizontal portion and a .depending .leg adapted to be received in one of said tubular guides, a leg portion detachably Secured to the opposite end of the hand rail and adapted to be received in the other of said detachable guides, said leg portion having means adapted for interlocking engagement with its respective guides to lock the hand rail in position in said guides.

6. A hand rail for bath tubs comprising a pair of suitable vertically disposed guides secured in fixed positions in the usual side walls of a conv'entional bath tub, a hand rail having a main leg received in one of said guides, a relatively shorter leg received in the other of said guides and having means at its upper end for securing it to the opposite end of the hand rail and whereby the hand rail may be Secured in fixed position with respect to the bath tub, detachment of said second leg portion from the hand rail permitting the hand rail to be swung to an out-ofthe-Way position adjacent to a wall against which the bath tub may be positioned.

7. A hand rail for bath tubs comprising a pair of suitable guides Secured to the usual side walls of a conventional bath tub, a U-shaped hand rail having a horizontal portion adapted to be positioned over the bath tub and provided with 6 pletely detached from the guides and bath tub, When desired, and means for closing the upper open ends of the guides when the hand rail is detached from the bath tub.

8. A hand rail for bath tubs comprising a pair of suitable guides Secured to the front and rear side walls of a conventional bath tub, a tubular hand rail comprising a horizontal portion adapted to be positioned over the bath tub and provided With a main depending leg adapted to be received in the guide at the rear of the bath tub, a relatively shorter independent leg portion removably received in the front guide and having means at its upper end for detachably securing BEFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATEN TS Name Date Bishop Apr. 26, 1921 Number 

